Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Member of Parliament Sudhakar Singh has filed a public interest litigation before the Supreme Court of India seeking a court‑monitored probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the financial operations of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the body entrusted with the construction and management of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The petition, drafted by advocates Satyam Singh and Jaswanthi A., alleges that recent accusations of misappropriation of donations earmarked for the temple necessitate an independent forensic audit. It requests that the Supreme Court transfer the ongoing investigation to the CBI and place it under the direct supervision of the Court.
In addition to the CBI probe, the plea seeks the constitution of a temporary oversight committee comprising retired judicial officers, financial experts and individuals described as possessing “impeccable integrity”. The committee would be tasked with monitoring the Trust’s secular financial and administrative functions while the investigation proceeds.
The petition emphasises that the requested measures are confined to ensuring transparency and accountability in the Trust’s financial administration and do not intend to interfere with any religious rituals, customs or practices associated with the Ram Mandir.
To safeguard potential evidence, the plea asks the Court to direct the Trust to preserve all physical and electronic financial records, including account books, bank statements, UPI transaction logs, CCTV footage, emails and server data, to prevent any tampering or destruction.
Further, the petition seeks directions for the Trust to publish audited financial statements, details of donations received, utilisation of funds and other relevant financial information on its official website at regular intervals, while ensuring that the personal particulars of donors remain protected.
The plea also requests that the Trust be restrained from undertaking major financial or administrative decisions during the pendency of the investigation. This includes prohibitions on the utilisation of Trust funds for substantial contracts, the creation of third‑party rights, alienation of assets or significant investments.
Additionally, the petition asks the Supreme Court to direct the Trust to furnish a complete statement of all donations and contributions received since its constitution.
The filing follows a recent development in which a vacation Bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Sheel Nagu declined urgent listing of a similar PIL filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav. That Bench, after hearing the petitioners’ concerns about possible tampering of electronic evidence, observed that the matter would be considered in due course and directed the petitioners to file a copy of the petition with the registry.
The present petition contends that the existing Special Investigation Team probing the Trust’s finances lacks the institutional independence and specialised forensic capability required to examine complex financial irregularities involving substantial public donations.
As of the date of filing, the Supreme Court has not issued any order on the plea. The matter remains pending before the Court, and further proceedings will determine whether the requested directions for a CBI‑led, court‑supervised investigation will be granted.